Sachusetts



G. M. WHmN. HEILNIAN COMBER.

APPLICATION FILED )UNI-:18, 1913- l l 195,426 Patented Aug.l 22, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WTIVESSES l/WENTOR A ATTORNEY G. IVI. WHITIN.

HEILMAN COMBER.

APPLICATION FILED IuNE I8. 191'3.

1,195,426. v Patented .22,1916.

5 SH SHEET 2.

G. M. WHITIN.

HEILMAN COMBER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. I .Cllli 1,195,426. Patentemlg. 22,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES /NVE/VTH ATTORNEY G. M. WHITIN.

HEILMAN COMBER.

APPLICATION F|LED1uNE18.19|3.

l 7 l 95,42 5 Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ATTORNEY G. IVI. WHlTlN.

HEILMAN COMBER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I8. 19I3.

l, 1 95,426 Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

By WH0/'mns imrrim sfra'rns rarnnr arriba.

GEORGE M. WHITIN, OF WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITIN MACHINE WORKS, OF WEITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAS- sAciiUsE'rTs.

HEILMAN COMBER. f

finanze.

i To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. VXViii'riN,

a citizen of theUnited States, residing' inV Whitinsville, in the county of 'Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented the vfollowing-described Improvements in Heilman Combers. i y

The invention is an'improvement in the detaching and piecing mechanism yand general organization of coinbers of the Heilman type, adapting such machines foil operation with superior eiiiciency on short staplecotton and permitting 'rapid operation with extremely close settings and short nip.

To this end the invention consists `in the various combinations and relative arrangements of parts hereinafter explained and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. l

ln the drawings forming part hereof, Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of one of the heads of a comber incorporating thisv invention; Fig. 2 a section taken at the ends of the comb cylinder and various rolls; Fig. 3 a. top plan of certain parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4: a front elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a general cross-section of the machine; Fig. G a detail ofthe detaching and pressure rolls on a smaller scale; and Figs. 7 and 8 are details of the holder guides therefor.

Like the ordinary comber of this type, the present machine may be comprised of a number-say six or more--of combing heads all identical in construction, with numerous of the shafts and other opera-ting parts extending through the length of the machine so as to be common to all of the heads. Only one of such combing heads is illustrated herein. The main frame is comprised of a table girder 1 (Fig. 5)V mounted 'on legs and carrying a series of frame uprights 2, which separate the several heads and support the operating mechanism thereof.` TheV sliver apron 3 is mounted on the forward ends of the uprights, this being the vtable common to all of the heads upon which the combed sliversV pass to the draw-box and sliver can, not shown, but which are mounted at one end of the machine. 'The' comb cylinder comprised of a combing or needle half-lap K Specification of Letters Patent. Pantd Allg. 22, 1916. VApl'ilicaton filed .Tune A1K8, 1913. Serial No. 774,284. A

the machine. This drive mechanism may be of any suitable or usual construction and as it forms no part of the present invention, illustration thereof is omitted. Any comber builder can readily supplyv the mechanism necessary vfor imparting to the several parts hereinafter described the motions assigned to them. The comb cylinder is cleared of diit and noil bymeans of a rotary brush 7,'

which doffs to aVcard-clothed cylinder S, from which the noil is discharged by an oscillating dotfer comb 9.

The roll 'of lap to be combed is mounted upon the usual lap rolls l0, driven from the end of the machine, and the lap unwinding therefrom passes' downwardly and forwardly over the lap plate ll, into the bite of the two feed rolls 12 and 13. The lower feed Vroll is or may be formed on a shaft coextensive with the length of the machine and driven by one end intermittently or continuously, as desired. The upper roll is held in place on the lower roll by means of two holder arms lll, and is put under heavy pressure by a superposed presser i'oll 13, the gudgeons of which are likewise held in the arms 14. The said roll engages the upper feed roll principally along the central region thereof, being fluted so as to fit such portion, and its diameter is reduced toward its gudgeons, as clearly indicated in the drawings. Its gudgeons receive the full pressure of the holder arms ll, which are subject to the tension of powerful springs, as shown in Fig. 5, while the feed roll gudgeons, Yalthough held iii place by the arms, are free of pressure therefrom. The shape of the arms 1li will be understood from an examination of the drawings without explanation. f

The sleiiderness of the feed rolls, particularly 'the upper feed roll, permits it to be set on the lower roll so that its bite thereon will be very near to the line on which the nipper knife nips the cotton without danger of contact with the knife, and further enables common tangent at the line of contact of the said rolls to extend downwardly toward'the comb cylinder, toward or adjacent to the bite of the detaching roll upon the segment. The lower feed roll also is set as closely to the rear face of the nipper knife as clearance for the latter will permit, the jour-nal blocks 15 of the lower roll being adjustable on the frame upright 2 for this from constructions ordinarily employed, de-

purpose. This method of weighting or pressing slender top rolls forms the subject ofY another invention and application for patent, Serial No. 773,376, and is preferred when using very slender rolls but any means for weighting the top feed roll without flex- Y ing it is suitable, because fiexure of the rolls which latter is rigidly secured to the frame Y uprights and in a. stationary position with respect tothe comb cylinder and the other parts. The means for thus mounting the fixed nipper frame do not appear fully in the drawings but as the same need not differ tailed illustration thereof will not be necessary. Reference may be had if necessary to patent N o. 82247 9 dated June 5th, 1906, for a more complete illustration of this mechanism, as Well as other parts of the present machine not constituting this invention and notherein illustrated in detail. It will sufice to point out for present purposesthat the cushion-plate 1G is held rigidly on the machine frame with its nipping edge stationed slightly to the rear of the vertical center-line of the comb cylinder and as close as possible to the path of travel of the detaching segment escaping contact therewith. The movable nipper jaw 18 is also of usual construction, being carried by a pair of nipper arms 19, which are fulcrumed at 2O (Fig. 5) and operated through connecting rods 21 from the cam-driven nipper shaft 22, in the lower part of the machine. When the movable jaw or nipper knife opens, the feed rolls advance the lap into the space between the jaws and when the knife descends it nips the projecting fringe thereof against the cushion plate in such manner as to project the fibers toward the cylinder and with a slight rearward inclination whereby they become mostV effectually combed by the half-lap needles. Directly in front of the nipper knife is mounted the Y top comb 23, the blade of which is set at an angle, like the nipper knife, as indicated, and-as close to the latter as the character of the staple will permit. The 4teeth of the VtopV comb are set just to escape the comb cylinder, although this setting may be varied by adjustment of a. stop-screw 231 (Fig. 5).

The detaching roll 24 which is leathercovered and supported so as to be engaged by therdetaching segment, has no contact whatever with the piecing rolls, later described. It is a slender roll about 14 Vinches quarters, live-eighths, or even one-half of an inch in diameter, according to the length of the cotton. It works on a substantially fixed axis close to the front face of the top Y comb, which axis is spaced from the axis of the comb cylinder a sufficient distance 'to enable it to be engaged by the segment, as

above stated, but to escape the points ofthe comb needles, the locus of the latter being about one-thirty-second of an inch lower on the cylinder than the surface of the detaching segment. The forward edge of thesegment is sloped or beveled, so that it VVwill ride easily under the detaching roll, exerting the desired pressure thereupon without appreciably shifting Vits axis. In the present organization it is specially desirable to bevel the segment as just mentioned, because of the slenderness of the detaching roll with which it cooperates although in different organizations, for instance in which the roll is caused to approach the segment, such shaping may not be required. The detaching roll is pressed downwardly so as to pro,-

vide a firm nip against the segment by means of a presser roll 25, which roll is also independent of the piecing rolls and is subjected to pressure at its ends by mea-ns of a pair of stirrups 26, one at each end, the

latter being engaged tothe weighted leversV 27 in an obvious manner; The means for supporting the detaching and presser rolls constitute important features of this invention and are described below, but the invention is not limited to use with presser rolls of any particular kind-Vor to any particular means for imparting the nipping pressure, except as speciiiedin the claims.

The tuft held by the nippersduring the combing is next engaged by the segment and as the nippers open is pressed against the detaching roll,.being at the same time raised into the depending teeth ofthe opposed top comb 23. The detaching roll partakes of the motion of the segment, coperating with it to draw the lap forwardly and detaclrtlie tuft from the main body'of the lap, which is still held by the feed rolls. from the lap in a line substantially coincident with or slightly-in rear of the top comb teeth, so that the tail ends of thedetached fibers are drawn through the said teeth and cleaned andV combed thereby. The` slenderness ofthe detachingroll 24 brings its bite line (upon the segment) close to the top comb teeth and this gives 'the detaching roll a longer and better purchase upon the tuft, allowing it to grasp more of the Yshorter fibers than would be the case with a larger The tu'ft parts Y detaching roll, which of course-4in order to escape the top VCombe-must be placed farther forward wlth'reference to the'top comb Vand ins the feedrolls. This close 'nip with long l i stapledcotton means a lessening of the waste of shorter fibers, Abut with short cotton Vit means that the fibers otherwise too short to 'rac be efliciently combed can now be combed without undue loss of material. The disposition of the feed rolls close to the nipper rnife and of their common tangent as described, also contributes to the saving of the shorter fiber, for the distance of their bite line to the parting line of the tuft is thereby rendered so short as to cause the short fibers to remain in the lap, rather than to be dragged through the top comb with other fibers caught by the detaching roll.

The piecing rolls which are wholly independent of the detaching roll, as above inen tioned, are mounted directly in front of the latter and operate in the present instance to take the detached tuft directly from the segment turning it upward and forwardly. These rolls comprise a rearward piecing roll 28, identified in the claims as the second roll, and a forward piecing roll 29, both mounted in contact -with each other, and one or the other being a shaft roll driven from the drive-head end of the machine. In the present case the roll 29 is the shaft roll, fl. c., is formed on a shaft extending from the drivehead through all the several combing heads, and its mate 28,is an individual or separate roll for each head, held in contact with the shaft roll and pressed against it by means of a pair of stirrups 30, engaging its gudgeons. These stirrups are hooked to weighted levers 3l beneath the comb cylinder, which levers 3l are adjacent and similar to the weight levers 27 above referred to. In certain forms of this invention the roll 28 may be so placed as to engage the segment, like the detaching roll, in which case it will serve as an auxiliary detaching roll out of contact with the other, but it is preferred that it will escape the segment by an appreciable distance, thus forming a clear passageway between it and the segment through which the tuft passes after detachment, and the lower piecing roll 29 is so journaled that its lower rear side forms a sort of terminal wall to this tuft passageway, opposed to theJ path of the tuft advancing on the segment. Vith this arrangement the forward ends of the fibers of each tuft will encounter the side of this roll and be turned upwardly thereby, away from the segment and into the bite of the said roll with the roll 28. To accomplish this result the lower side of the piecing roll 29 should lie below the common tangent of the de taching roll and segment. This tangent is shown by a dotted line in Fig. 1.. The two piecing rolls may be one or both fluted, or the roll 28 may be leather-covered. They receive a piecing motion, which, for instance, may revolve them two-thirds of a revolution forwardly and one-third baclrwardly on each nip of the machine. Thus the tail ends of each tuft will be backed o" in a position to be overlapped upon the forward ends of the succeeding tuft, according to the common mode of operation of the piecing roll shaft of the Heilman type of coniber. Upon the steel roll 29 there is placed the ordinary brass clearer roll 32, the same being held iii horsetails 33 of any suitable form, and upon this clearer roll there may also be mounted the usual clearer cover, not shown in Fig. l, but adapted to be held in the slotted horns of the horse-tails. From the piecing rolls the combed sliver passes to the sliver pan 34 (Fig. 5) through its trumpet 35 and thel calender rolls 36, onto the apron 3 above referred to, whence it passes through the drawboX to the sliver can.

The piecing roll 28 and the detaching and presser rolls 24 and 25 are supported by their ends upon a common support formed by the pillows 37 which carry the shaft bearings of the piecing roll 29. As shown more clearly in Fig. 2 and the detail figures, these pillows are mounted on the upper, inclined edges of the frame uprights 2, and each has a laterally and rearwardly extending arm 38, which carries adjustable bearings for each of the three rolls referred to. The piecing roll 28 is provided with journal sleeves 281 on each of its end gudgeons, which sleeves are slabbed on one side to rest upon the fiat face of an adjustable bearing block 39, the latter being set on the bracket arm 38 in engagement with an adjustment screw 40. By means of this screw it may be set at different elevations to adjust the roll 28 to the appropriate distance from the path of the comb cylinder. The fiat top of the block 39 inclines toward the piecing roll 29, so that the roll 28 may bear on the latter under the pressure of the stirrup 30, which is applied to its gudgcon sleeve directly over the bearing block.

The detaching roll 24 is provided with a similar gudgeon sleeve 241, received in the semi-circular seat 41 of a bearing block 42. This block is mounted on the shelf portion 0f the bracket arm 38,v directly in front of and in contact with the bearing block 39, and like that block is rested upon a set screw, by which the position of the detaching roll with reference to the axis of the comb cylinder may be properly adjusted. A tightening bolt 43a passing through regis tering slots in both bearing blocks and threaded int-o the forward side of the bracket arm 38, serves to clamp both bearing blocks in their independently adjusted positions. The block 42 has'two upwardly extending horns 43 adapted to receive the bearing 44 for the gudgeon sleeve 251 of the presser roll. The latter sleeve is slabbed on its opposite vertical sides and is capable of recthe presser roller is placed in the sleeves and the latter are mounted in the blocks del, the said blocks are placed between the horns 43 of the detaching roll bearing and moved downwardly therein' until the presser roll engages the detaching roll. The stirrup 26 is then placed upon the top of the block til, exerting its pressure through the stop screws 4:5 and gudgeon sleeves upon the presser roll to press the same upon the slender dctaching roll, and the latter upon the segment. By the arrangement and inclination of the horns or guiding means the effort of the stirrups is exerted to press the detaching roll downwardly but toward the rear side of the comb cylinder, which direction is important inasmuch as otherwise the occurrence of bunches is likely to break the framework or other parts.

The presser roll may, with some adjustments of the machine, be simply a cylindrical body of plain steel unluted, extending substantially the length of the detaching roll upon which it rests, but inasmuch as it must be subjected to heavy pressure and is therefore liable to iioxure, its bearing upon the detaching roll is relieved near the ends, leaving a bearing` portion 25 (Fig. G) of full diameter at the central region. By thus localizing the pressure at or along a central portion of the detaching roll, it is possible to give it uniform pressure upon the segment, even when it is of much smaller diameter than indicated in the drawings. The full diameter of the presser roll may thus extend for four or five inches at the center of a lll inch roll, or it may be longer and should be longer when the detaching roll is reduced to less than one-half inch diameter. As the weight of the presser roll itself is not relied upon to produce the pressure, it may be as slender as the constricted space in which it works demands. It may run under slight constant flexure without imparting unequal distribution of the pressure to the detaching roll. It is possible to make both the detaching and presser rolls hollow so that their mass will be as low as possible thereby pcrmitting them quickly t0 take up the motion imparted by the segment.

It will Vbe observed that the weighting stirrups Q6 and 30 are placed side by side,

Ythe one bearing on the presser roll and the other on the second roll or rearward piecing roll,'both being disposed 1n 'the space between the horse-tail base and theV pillow Y 37, in which position they will Ybe confined out of contact with other parts. Each stirrup has a finger-hole at its top but their shapes are such that the apertured portion i of each projects above or beyond the corresponding apertured partV of the other and thus enables either one to be readily lifted or removed when desired.

From the foregoing description it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the principles of the present comber are not confined to the particular structure shownbut that various modifications and changes in the size, proportions and relative arrangement of the parts, may be resorted to, and that new parts may be added or certain partsremoved from the structure illustrated without sacrificing the benefits of the invention above pointed out.

I claim: f y A l. In a Heilman type comber, thel combination with the feed and nipper mechanism, a top comb and acomb cylinder having a detaching .segment thereon, of a segmentengaging detaching roll, fixed bearings holdingthe latter close in front of the top comb, anda pair of piecing rolls in front of said detaching roll cooperating directly with the segment to remove'the tufts therefrom and adapted to piece the same together.

2. In a Heilman type comber, the combination'with the feed and nipper mechanism, a top comb in front of the latter Vand a rotary comb cylinder opposed to the top comb having combing and detaching segments thereon, of a small segment-engaging detaching roll, end bearings therefor' supporting said'roll in front of the top comb, a presser roll vsuperposed upon said small roll and preventing flexure thereof, and a pair of piecing rolls in front of said detaching and presser rolls deliecting and receiving the detached tufts directly from the segment and adapted to form a continuous lap thereof.

3. lIn a Heilman type comber, the combination of a rotary comb cylinder having a detaching segment, means that are station- Vary with respect to such cylinder for holding a fringe of lap in engagement therewith, a detachingroll mountedin Vfront of the said means to nip the Vfringe'against the segment, and a pair of piecing rolls mounted in front of the said detaching roll operating independently of said detaching roll to deflect and receive the detached tufts from the segment and piece the same to-v gether. l

l. In a Heilman type comber, the combination of a top comb, a rotary combV cylinder having a detaching'segment, stationary meansfor holding the fringe of la inV enga gement with the cylinder, a. small-c ianieter segment-engaging detaching roll mounted in front of the top comb and adaptedlto detach Y and draw the cylinder-combed tuft throughY the top comb, means for imparting nipping pressure to said small roll without flexing the same, and a pair of piecing rolls in front of the said detaching roll, correlated with the segment to deflect and remove detached tufts from the segment and adapted to piece the same together.

`5. In a Henman type tomber, the combi.-

l se

nation of feeding and nipping means for a cotton lap, a rotary comb cylinder having a segment, a segment-engaging detaching roll adapted to detach the tuft, an independent roll out of contact with said detaching roll adapted to turn the end of the tuft away from the segment, and means cooperating with said latter roll to piece the tufts together. Y

6. In a Heilman type eomber, a top comb maintained in fixed position, stationary means for advancing and nipping the uncombed lap, and a rotary comb cylinder 'having a detaching segment, in combination with a small-diameter detaching roll mounted in front of said fixed top comb and adapted to engage the segment to draw the tuft through the top comb, a presser roll applied to said detaching roll and a pair of piecing rolls in front of said detaching and presser rolls, one of said piecing rolls being correlated with the segment to turn the head of the tuft outwardly away from the segment.

7. In a Heilman type comber, a rotary comb cylinder having a detaching segment and means for advancing and nipping the lap, in combination with a segment-engaging detaching roll mounted in front of the nipping means, a second roll revolving on a fixed axis in front of the detaching roll and removed from the path of the segment, a third roll engaging the second roll, the said second and third rolls being intermittently operated to dciiec-t the tufts from the segment and piece the same together.

8. In a I-Ieillnan type comber, a comb cylinder having a detaching segment, a detaching roll engaged thereby, a second roll in front of said detaching roll and spaced from the path of the segment, a third roll in contact with the second roll with its lower side disposed below the common tangent of the detaching roll and segment whereby such roll turns the forward end of the tuft upwardly and into the bite of said roll and the second roll, said second and third rolls being intermittently rotated to piece the detached tufts.

9. In a Heilman type comber, a comb cylinder having a detaching segment, a slender detaching roll adapted to engage the segment, a secondroll in front of this detaching roll but out of contact with it and with the segment, a third roll in contact with the second roll and mounted so that its side toward the axis of the comb cylinder extends inwardly of the common tangent of said detaching roll and segment, means for operating the second andthird rolls to piece the detached tufts together, and suitable means for weighting the said detaching roll without fleXure.

10. In a Heilman typecomber the combination of means for feeding the lap and nipping the fringe thereof, a comb cylinder, a detaching roll, a presser roll for the latter, gudgeon guides for the said presser roll and means for weighting the ends or gudgeons thereof.

11. In a Heilman type comber, means for feeding the lap and holding the fringe, a cylinder for combing the fringe having a detaching segment, a small-diameter segment-engaging detaching roll adapted to nip the fringe, a presser roll held in superposition upon the said detaching roll, weighting stirrups applied to the ends of the presser roll, and independent means for piecing the detached tufts.

12. In a I-Ieilman type comber, a comb cylinder having a detaching segment, means for feeding the lap and holding the fringe in engagement with the cylinder, a segmentengaging detaching roll of small diameter adapted for close nip on the fringe, means applied to the central region of such roll for imparting pressure thereto, and means out of contact with said detaching roll for removing the tuft from the segment.

13. In a, Heilman type comber, a comb cylinder having a detaching segment, means for feeding the lap and nipping the fringe, a small detaching roll adapted to nip the fringe against the segment, an end-weighted superposed roll having an enlarged diameter in its middle portion engaging the middle portion of the small roll, and separate means for removing the detached tufts.

14. In a I-Ieilman type comber, a comb cylinder having a detaching segment, nipper jaws, and a pair of feed rollers set close in rear of the nipper jaws, a top comb, and a small-diameter detaching roll set close to the top comb and adapted to engage the segment whereby the bite of the said roll upon the segment is close to the bite of the feed rolls, in combination with a pair of intermittently operated piecing rolls removed from the said detaching roll and cordinated with the segment to deflect and remove detached tufts therefrom and piece the same together.

15. In a Heilman type comber, a comb cylinder and detaching roll, a pair of nipper jaws, a forwardly inclined top comb in front of the nipper jaws, a lower feed roll in rear of such jaws, an upper feed roll of smaller diameter held on the forward side of the lower roll so that their common tangent extends toward the combing cylinder, and means independent of the detaching roll for piecing the detached tufts.

16. In a Heilman type comber, a comb cylinder, a detaching roll, a presser roll superposed thereon and a pair of piecing rolls, in combination with a stirrup engaging the end of the presser roll and urging the detaching roll in alrearward direction and an adjacent stirrup engaging one of the piecing rolls.

17. In a. Heilman type comber, the com-V bination of a detaching roll, a separate pair of piecing rolls and means for supporting the ends of such rolls comprising an arm, a bearing for each roll carried on such arm and means for independently adjusting one 0f such bea-rings.

18. In a Heilman type comber, a comb cylinder, a detaching roll, a separate pair of piecing rolls, separate bearing blocks for the detaching roll and for one of the piecing rolls, and means for changing the elevation of either block with reference to the comb cylinder.

19. In a Heilman type comber, a small diameter detaching 11011 independent of the piecing mechanism, a superposed presser roll thereon, bearing sleeves for the gudgeons of the latter roll and means for imparting pressure to said sleeves to press the roll upon the detaching roll.

20. In a Heilman type comber, a detaching roll, a superposed presser roll bearing blocks receiving the gudgeons of the latter roll, means for adjusting the position of the gudgeons with respect t0 the blocks and means for imparting pressure to the blocks.

21. In a Heilman type comber, a detaching roll of s 'mall diameter, a combing cylinder having a detaching segment with which it engages, a presser roll superposed on the detaching roll, stirrups applied to the ends of the presser roll and guiding means for both rolls whereby the detaching roll is pressed toward the rear side of the combing cylinder.

22. In a I-Ieilman comber, a detaching roll and a pair of piecing rolls, one of the latter and said detaching roll being subject to pressure, in combination with an arm carrying a bearing block for each of said rolls and a single tightening member adapted for securing both blocks in their relative posiv tions.

23. In a Heilman type cotton comber, a rotary comb cylinder having a detaching segment, means for advancing the lap comprising a lower feed roll, an upper feed roll of smaller diameter held on the forward side of the lower feed roll, and means for nipping the lap during the operation of the rotary comb, in combination with a top comb and a segment-engaging detaching roll in front of the nipping means, a second roll in front of the detaching ro11 and a third roll engaging the second roll and cooperating therewith to deflect the detached tufts from the segment and to piece the tufts together.

24. In a Heilman type comber, a rotary comb cylinder having a detaching segment, means for advancing the lap comprising a lower feed roll and an upper feed roll held on the forward side of said lower roll and Y means for nipping the lap during the action of the rotary comb, in combination with a the same to yield forwardly and upwardly on impact with the segment, weighting means therefor which urge the said roll toward the rear of the combing cylinder and means out of contact with said detaching roll for piecing together the tufts detached by it.

26. A Heilman type cotton comberjhaving a comb cylinder with a detaching segment thereon, means for subjecting a cotton lap to the action of such cylinder comprising a lap-holding means adapted to hold the forward end of the lap in contact with the cylinder needles at a point in rear of the vertical center thereof, a top comb in front of such means, a segment-engaging detaching roll operating in front of such top comb, means for supporting such roll whereby it may yield forwardly andupwardly on impact with the segment, weighting means for said roll which urge it toward the rear of said cylinder, and means out of contact with said roll for piecing the tufts detached by' it.

27. A Heilman type cottoncomber having a combing cylinder with a detaching segment thereon, means for Vsupplying cotton lap thereto, comprising a nipper mechanism including a forwardly inclined jaw mo-unted to nip the fringe of lap at a point in rear of the vertical center of the combing cylinder, a pair of feed rolls close in rear of said jaw, the common tangent of said feed rolls being inclined downwardly, a top comb inclined correspondingly t0 said nipper jaw, a detaching roll mounted in front of said inclined top comb, supporting means for said 11011 adapting it to yield forwardly and upwardly-on impact with the segment, pressure means urging said roll rearwardly and downwardly and means separated from the detaching roll for piecing the tufts detached by it.

28. A cotton comber of the kind described having a combing cylinder with a detaching segment, stationary means for feeding cotton lap thereto and holding the same to the action of said cylinder and at a point in rear of the vertical center thereof, a seg- `forward of said detaching roll coperating with the segment to deflect the detached tufts therefrom and piece the same together.

29. A cotton comber of the kind described comprising a comb cylinder having a detaching segment, a pair of nipper jaws, the lower jaw being stationary and the active jaw `being inclined forwardly, a pair of feed rolls close in rear of said jaws, the upper roll being of small diameter, means for holding the same on the forward side of the lower feed roll and close to the path of said active nipper jaw, in combination with an inclined top comb mounted on arms whereby it may be manually turned upward from its operating position, a segment-engaging detaching roll close in front of said top comb and independent means forwardly spaced from the said detaching roll for piecing the tufts detached thereby.

30. In a cotton comber of the kind described, the combination of a comb cylinder having a segment, a. pair of nipper jaws, a pair of feed rolls adapted to be set close in rear of said jaws and comprising upper and lower rolls, both provided with sharp intermeshing flutes, a top comb, a segment-engaging detaching roll operating in front of said top comb with close nip on the lap held by said iluted feed rolls, and independent forwardly spaced means for piecing the tufts detached by said detaching roll.

31. In a I-Ieilman type cotton comber, the combination of a comb cylinder having its segment radially higher thereon than the needle half-lap, means for feeding a cotton lap thereto, nipper means whereby such lap is held during the action of the cylinder needles thereon, a segment-engaging detaching roll, means out of contact with said detaching roll for piecing the tufts detached by it, and fixed bearings for said detaching roll and said piecing means adapted to hold the former clear of the needle half-lap and the latter in a fixed relation to the said comb cylinder.

32. In a cotton comber of the kind described, having a comb cylinder with a segment, a top comb, an independent detaching roll mounted close in front of the top comb and a second roll in front of said detaching roll but out of contact therewith, in combination with a frame upright between adjacent heads of said comber, a bracket member on said upright provided with a rearwardly extending arm, a bearing for said detaching roll supported on the eXtreme rearward end of such arm, and provided with means for adjusting said detaching roll toward and from the cylinder, and a second bearing formed on the same arm forward of the detaching roll bearing thereon and adapted to support the said second roll.

33. In a cotton comber of the kind described having a comb cylinder, detaching roll and independent piecing means, the combination with the frame upright between adjacent combing heads, of a pillow block on said upright provided with a rearwardly extended arm, a shaft roll journaled on said pillow block and constituting the driving member for said piecing mechanism, and two roll bearings supported at the rear end of said arm, the rearmost bearing being adjustable and adapted to support the said detaching roll and the forward bearing forming one of the supports for the piecing mechanism.

34. In a Heilman type comber, the combination with the lap feeding and nipping means, the comb cylinder and the detaching and piecing rolls, of weighting stirrups for the piecing rolls and separate stirrups for imparting pressure to the detaching roll, the former having upstanding grip portions offset with respect to grip portions of the latter, whereby either stirrups may be grasped for disengaging them without obstruction by the other.

35. A cotton comber of the kind described comprising a comb cylinder with a detaching segment, feeding and nipping means for a cotton lap adapted to hold the forward end of the same in engagement with the cylinder at a point in rear of its vertical center, a segment-engaging detaching roll, supporting bearings for the latter comprising slots inclined toward the rear of the comb cylinder, and means forwardly spaced from said d etaching roll for piecing the tufts detached thereby.

36. In a cotton comber of the kind described, the combination of the lap feeding and nipping means, top comb, comb cylinder and piecing` means, with a segment-engaging detaching roll interposed between the top comb and the piecing means, a presser roll imparting nipping pressure to the detaching roll and means for weighting said presser roll.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE M. WHITIN.

IVitnesses:

OSCAR L. OWEN, OI-ms'rnn AO. LAMB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

